Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Designing to Sell

In today’s tough real estate market, people are searching for every advantage they can
find when it comes time to sell their property. They’ll search out the best agent they can find. Or place ads in the highest
circulation magazines. They’ll lower the price to outpace the competition. But often, people will neglect
the most important piece of the whole puzzle: the space itself.

Properly preparing a home for sale can be the difference between whether it
sells quickly or instead lingers on the market for months at a time. “Ninety five percent of homes staged sell in 65 days or less versus non-staged
homes at 175 days or longer,” says Barb Schwarz, who created the term ‘staging’ more than 30 years ago and is today the owner of the California-based Staged
Homes. Staging can help “sell a home more quickly and for more money”—both things that are music to a seller’s ears.

Creating the Ideal Space

Preparing a home to sell means more than just making the space look good. It’s about making the space palatable and appealing to fresh eyes, helping people
visualize themselves living there. That’s one way that staging differs from decorating. “Decorating is about personalizing a space,” Schwarz says. “Staging is about de-personalizing a place.”

Schwarz relies on the three C’s of staging to make a place more appealing: clean, clutter-free and color.
Cleanliness is absolutely imperative when it comes to selling a home. “People may think a property is clean but they have to see it with other people’s eyes,” Schwarz says. “You have to get it Q-Tip clean.” That includes everything from baseboards to light switches, right on up to the
bigger things that people rarely consider like windows.

Tied in with cleaning is clutter, something that can sabotage even the most
attractive living area. It’s one of the top mistakes home sellers make, says Nairn Friemann, a certified
staging professional and owner of Ingenuity and Pizzazz, Inc., based in New
York. “When we ask brokers what went wrong [with a space], they say that people just
have too much stuff,” Friemann says. “People get distracted. You want the place to be as bright and spacious as
possible. Buyers will base their judgment on how they feel inside the space.” And even if the apartment is the most well-appointed, well-decorated space in
the building with million dollar paintings on the wall, “you have to remind people that they’re selling the space, not an art gallery.”

As renters continue to flock to Brooklyn for more space and a discounted price, luxury vacancies are giving some developers pause. However, despite the loss of Amazon's departure from Long Island City, Brooklyn saw two of the most dynamic companies open up shop in the Borough. Find out how Brooklyn is doing in the current market cycle at Bisnow's Annual Brooklyn State of the Market! For information, visit www.bisnow.com.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

In the last three decades, condominiums have gone from a rarity to a highly popular form of home ownership. Unfortunately the law has not kept pace with the growth of condominiums and Boards must use an 18 page 55 year old law that was based on a Puerto Rican law to solve every problem, while other states have detailed Condominium Acts that provide boards and unit owners detailed guidance on how to operate their condominiums and clarity with regard to the rights and obligations of Boards and owners. This places the Board in a terrible position in attempting to operate a complex building and, deal with everyone’s demands. And then there are the myriad of city and state mandates: annual tests to perform, reports to file, deadlines to meet, coupled with day-to- day issues that can arise in the condo community. CNYC board chair Stuart Saft, Esq. will lead a discussion of these issues and others that you raise. Board members and unit owners of CNYC member condominiums are welcome at no cost, but advance registration is required. Non-affiliates are welcome, too, at a fee of $50 if paid in advance or $75 at the door. Please reserve your place at workshops@CNYC.coop or (212) 496-7400.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

Indispensable for board members in self-managed buildings, this class will be of interest to others as well. Rebecca Poole will provide guidance (and a long list of links) to enable you to check your building’s status with the Department of Finance, the Department of Buildings, HPD, DEP and any other agencies where you have forms to file, reports to register. etc. Representatives of CNYC member cooperatives and condominiums and those that are members of FNYHC, ARC, CCC, UHAB and Big Apple CAI attend at no cost, but advanced registration is required. Non- members are very welcome at a fee of $60, payable in advance. Reserve your place by calling CNYC at (212) 496-7400 or register by e-mail to workshops@CNYC.coop. To pay at the door, preregister and add $15.

Long Island City alone has substantial real estate development in the pipeline. There is 466K SF of additional retail expected by 2021, on top of the existing 488K SF of retail in mixed-use and renovated commercial properties. There are also 10,500 new units due by 2021 -- more than half the 19,680 units built since 2006. For information, visit www.bisnow.com.

Successful community management starts with the essentials! This comprehensive community association management course provides a practical overview for new managers, an essential review for veteran managers and an advanced course for board members. Successful completion of the M-100 can be the first step toward earning the CMCA credential, awarded by CAMICB. For information, visit www.caionline.org.

We will discuss various ways for your property to stay relevant in this ever-changing market. Topics include: reimagining amenities; mechanical energy conservation measures; interior solutions; and exterior projects. More topics to be announced.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

Sweeping rent regulations passed in Albany in June imposes many compliance requirements on transactions in cooperatives and some in condominiums, by virtue of generalized 'lease' requirements in part M of this 74 page law. CNYC president Marc Luxemburg, Esq. will be joined by Peter Massa, Esa. to review the many new requirements of the law and suggest remedies that your cooperative or condominium may wish to adopt. CNYC is working for corrective legislation to exempt cooperatives and condominiums from the requirements of Part M when the legislature meets again in 2020, and will enlist your help in this endeavor. Board members, shareholders, unit owners and management personnel for cooperatives and condominiums that are members of CNYC, FNYHC, ARC, CCC, UHAB and NAHC are welcome at no charge, but advance reservations are required; others are welcome at a fee of $60 if paid in advance or $75 at the door. Call CNYC at 212496-7400 or register online www.CNYC.coop.

Are You A Board Member of a Co-op, Condo or HOA? Then you won’t want to miss this show! Board members and residents will find this educational event to be a valuable tool in finding service providers, meeting other Board Members and learning useful information regarding all practical matters of community living. For information, visit <a href="http://www.cai-li.org">www.cai-li.org</a&gt;, or contact Christopher Byrnes or Eric Clemente: 631-882-8683, info@cai-li.org.&nbsp;

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

Attorney Marc J. Luxemburg, who is president of CNYC, led the development of a model Proprietary Lease and Shareholders Agreement, adapted to the 21st century needs of New York housing cooperatives. Version 2.20 includes suggestions received from many experts in the course of the development of this document. Mr. Luxemburg will discuss the major innovations of the new lease and will offer advice for ensuring its adoption. There is no cost for CNYC members and subscribers to attend this class, but advance registration is required. Others are welcome at a fee of $60 if paid in advance or $75 at the door. Call 212 496-7400 or send e-mail to workshops@CNYC.coop to reserve your place. Continuing Legal Education credit is available to attorneys attending this class. Attorneys who work primarily with low income clients or those who themselves have modest incomes, may write to CNYC to request abatement of applicable fees.

Anderson Kill's Co-op and Condo Group Presents a Seminar Series Part V: "Licensing Agreements"

In this lecture, our attorneys will highlight what to watch out for, what to negotiate for, and when it may be better to stand one’s ground and let a judge decide. From access concerns to zoning issues, you will leave this seminar with a firm understanding of what to negotiate for and how to select the right attorney to handle the job. For information,. www.andersonkill.com.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

Join us for our annual expo at Levity Live in the Palisades Center for a multi-media expo experience! There will be education, food, refreshments, prizes, vendors and more. Topics will include how to evaluate your manager/boards performance and discuss improvement plus ask anything legal! For information, visit https://www.cai-hvny.org/post/oct-24-expo-west-nyack-ny.

Learn about the latest building services from more than 250 exhibitors, attend educational seminars, get free advice from industry experts, and network with your peers at this leading real estate trade show in New York. For information, visit coopexpofall.com.

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business owner or building manager, we encourage you to visit your local borough office where Department of Buildings staff can answer your questions and provide the information you need.Permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties are just a few of the things we can assist you with.
Our plan examiners, inspectors and staff are here to help you build and live safely in New York City – no appointment needed. For information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/homeowner/homeowner.page.

News

In one of the most worrisome signs yet that the top-end of the city’s real estate market may be about to crater, a new report says that one in four new luxury condos built over the last six years are unsold.
Read full story

9/12/2019
Where Are People Buying New Condos in New York? - NY Times

9/12/2019
Where Are People Buying New Condos in New York? - NY Times

Although sales of new condominiums in New York City have been relatively slow in 2019 — the luxury market peaked around 2016 — apartments in brand-new buildings continued to move in the first six months of this year, especially in Manhattan.
Read full story

Another piece of the puzzle at River Park, the megaproject replacing Cobble Hill’s erstwhile Long Island College Hospital, is officially on the market. Developer Fortis Property Group has now launched sales at 1 River Park, the tower rising at the corner of Hicks Street and Atlantic Avenue.
Read full story

The day before Mayor Bill de Blasio was elected to a second term, then-Citizens Budget Commission President Carol Kellerman confronted him about the city’s hopelessly unfair property tax system. The mayor promised to do something about it.
Read full story

9/11/2019
Central Park West: A Historic Stretch of Luxury and Community - NY Times

9/11/2019
Central Park West: A Historic Stretch of Luxury and Community - NY Times

It’s been 37 years since Susan Simon, fresh out of college and still living with her parents in New Jersey, attended a classmate’s wedding in a residential building on Central Park West — and stayed.
Read full story

A sprawling Fifth Avenue co-op that for decades was home to former Salomon Brothers chief executive John Gutfreund has sold for $53 million, a fraction of its original $120 million asking price, records show.
Read full story

The latest condo in Nomad—which is positively booming with new developments, in both the residential and commercial realm—has officially hit the market.
Read full story

9/10/2019
Tenants ousted by Brooklyn blaze fight for answers and action - The City

9/10/2019
Tenants ousted by Brooklyn blaze fight for answers and action - The City

On the afternoon of April 3, an unattended candle ignited an inferno that devastated a Brooklyn apartment building — leaving scores of displaced residents scrambling to reconstruct their homes and lives.
Read full story

According to a recent report, Greenwich Village is one of the most expensive NYC neighborhoods, but there are some nice apartments under $1 million that qualify for the Six-Digit Club to be found. This one-bedroom co-op, for example, is asking $835,000.
Read full story

9/9/2019
An Illegal Gas Line Killed 2 People. Should the Landlord Go to Prison? - NY Times

9/9/2019
An Illegal Gas Line Killed 2 People. Should the Landlord Go to Prison? - NY Times

The explosion in March 2015 shattered an East Village block, engulfing two buildings in flames that quickly spread. Smoke billowed above the skyline. Video footage at the scene captured a man, his face bloodied, as he collapsed onto the sidewalk.
Read full story

The multihyphenate entertainer Bette Midler—actress-singer-songwriter-producer-parks enthusiast—is parting ways with the Upper East Side penthouse that she and her family have called home for more than 20 years.
Read full story

9/9/2019
The foreign buyer fallout - The Real Deal

9/9/2019
The foreign buyer fallout - The Real Deal

As global instability hits new levels, both the New York and national residential markets are taking a hit.
Read full story

9/6/2019
Big reveal: $999K for a minimalist Kips Bay condo - Curbed

9/6/2019
Big reveal: $999K for a minimalist Kips Bay condo - Curbed

The guesses for this week’s Pricespotter apartment, a one-bedroom condo in Kips Bay, were all over the place: Some commenters thought it might be asking as little as $595,000, and others guessed as high as just under $1 million.
Read full story

Follow Us

About

The New York Cooperator

Cooperator.com is an online edition of The New York Cooperator newspaper. The publication serves the co-op and condo community with thousands of free articles on management, finance, maintenance and more...